Washing machine



w. F. PAGELV. wAsH|NG MACHINE.

- APPLICATION FILED APR. 26| 1920. I. g'g, v Patented Jan. 3, 1922 2 SHEETS-SHEET I. .a6

W. F. PAGEL. WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION man APR. 26. 1920.

L'g, Patented Jan. 3, 1922 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

entre raras Parent cranica.

WILLIAM PAGEL", OF SYCAMORE, IIIII'JIN'OIS.`

hWASHING MACHINE.

incanta.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pattentmdl Jam. 3, 1922.,

' Application a1ed-aprii26,i92o. seria1ii.376,446.

' with less wear7 land more quickly than is accomplished with the machines now in use. A further object of my invention is to provide a washing machine in which there shall be no necessity of alternating the direction of operation 'from time to time as in the barrel type of machine and which shall auto matically turn the clothes over in different directions to the -end that every part and portion of the clothes shall be subjected directly to the suction cleaning action.

Instead of reciprocating a plunger up and down into and out of the vessel' in which the clothes and water are placed, I lift the clothes up through the water and plunge them down into the water. The lifting produces the suction cleaning action and the plunging produces the turning and changing action.

I provide a continuous up and down movement of the basket or container in which the clothes are carried. In the lifting movement the water-flows out and in fact is drawn through the clothes and through holes in the container into the bottom of the tub and on the downward movement the water is forced up into the basket or container from below lifting and lloosening the clothes, turning them over and around to present a different portion of the clothes to the suction action of the next lifting of the basket. One

important feature of., my invention resides in the means which I employ for causing an alternate circulation and overturning of` the clothes upon successive or alternate down stroke. Y

My invention resides in awashing inachine having a closed container adapted to hold the water movable up and down in a tub or casing, and having means for permitting the water to flow out through perforations in the side walls of the container 0.11 the up stroke and means for causing the 'water to flow up through suitable openings in the bottom of the container on the down stroke for lifting, turningvand changing the clothes.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which y Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical ,central section of a washing machine embodying my invention;

Figure 2'is a horizontal section on the line 2 2 of Fi re l; I

Figure 3 isa ragmentarv vertical section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figures 4 to 7 inclusive are. fragmentary diagrammatic views illustrating the operation and the several positions of the rotating valve.

In said drawings 1 is a tub or casing, preferably in the form of a vertical cylinder, having an integral bottom 2 and a removable cover 3. The casingis supported in vertical position and at a suitable height by a stand 4 having a ring member 5 in which the bottom of the casing or tub 1 ts and legs 6 for raising the machine above the floor to provide space beneath the casing for the gas burner 7. The gas burner is supported upon a bracket 8 having strap .hangers 9 at its ends provided with outturned Supporting ianges 10 at their upper ends received in the inner edgeof the ring member 5.

In the tub or casing 1,51 arrange a metal- The body of the container is smaller than y nthe casing to provide a circumferential chamber or space 14 surrounding the container. This space is closed atits upper end by a flange 15 at the upper edge of the container, whichv substantially fits the tub and a similar flange 16 at its lower end which also substantially fits the tub. The horizontal flange 16 is provided with a number of openings 17 through which the Water can flow down as the container is raised and these openings are closed by check valves 18 which close upwardly against the flange 17 when the container is forced down. T hese valves are normally held close-d by springs 19 arranged between projections 20 on the side 50 down in the bottom of the casing 1 and is not of the container through which the valve stems 21 project and heads 22 on the upper ends of the valve stems.

For reciprocating the container I provide a vertically oscillating shaft or yoke 23 1 mounted in a lbearing 24 on ythe side of the tub and being curved to conform with the curvature of the -tub provided with aligned pivots 23 at diametrically opposite points relative to the tub. Links 25 rise vfrom the' pivots ofthe shaft 23 and pivotally engage the upper ends 26 of reach rods 27 arranged within the tub and whosel lower ends 28 are rigidly secured to tainer.

The shaft 23 is swung up and down by any suitable mechanism, shown diagrammatically by the gear Wheel 29, carrying a crank pin 30 which is' connected tothe one end of the shaft 23 by alink 31. The gear wheel is rotated by any suitable mechanism such as the pinion 32 mounted on a shaft 33 and carrying a belt pulley 34.

-In the center of the bottom 13 of the container I provide an opening 35 large enough to admit the water into the container as the container descends. To prevent the clothes falling through the opening on the up stroke I place bars 'orWires 36 across the Opening 35. I preferably form the bottom 13 up' Wardly toward thev center opening as shown so that the water will Howup into the opening 35 without undue friction.

.In the operation of the machine as so far described the clothes are placed in the cony tainer 11 and the cover 3 is placed in position. Water or suds are placed in the tub to' a suitable depth. The container is then reciprocated up and down within the casing. On the up stroke the Water flows out through the holes12 in the sidefwall 11 of the con. tainer and' down through .the openings 17 in the flange 16 thus producing the suction action which carries the dirt out of the clothes. On the down stroke the water is prevented from rising through the openings 17 by the valves 18 and it' is forced to rise through the `central opening 35 thus lifting the clothes land turning them over in the container 11. The dlrt and other particles removed settles disturbed. During this process of washing, the contents of the washer can-be heated by means of the large gas burner 7. It is to be noted that as there is nol space occupied be- Y low the casing by motors or other devices the flange 16 of the con.

position and turning them over and Ihave" tion on one down stroke and in the opposite direction on the next successive down stroke of the contamer. This means consists of a water inlet 38 through the bottomv 13 of the container communicating at its two sides with arcuate passages-39 and 40. I

tainer through the passage 38 and the connecting passages 39 and 40 by means of a rotating valve 41 which alternately delivers the water from the passage 38 to the passages 39 and 40 on successive down strokes of the container so that the stream entering the container upon one down stroke rotates the clothes and the water therein in one direction and on the successive down stroke rotates the clothes and the water therein in the opposite. direction. This valve 41 is cylindrical and has two passages 42 and 43 therein, one of which at a time communicates with the passage 38 andwith one of the passages 39 or 40 as the case may be. The passage 42 as shown in Figure 3 is connecting the inlet 38 with the passage 39 and asthe valve Ais rotated this communication is cut off and.

upon the next down stroke the passage 38 is connected with the other passage 40 as illustrated in'dotted lines in Figure 6.

For rotating the valve 41 to produce the alternate communication of the passages 39 and 40 with the linlet 38 upon successive down strokes of the container I provide a four armed star wheel 44 carried upon the outer end of the Valve and arranged close to the wall of the casing, and having arms 45, 46,47, and 48.

In Figure 4 I have shown the valve 41 .control the flow of the Water. into the conand the star Wheel 44 in full lines as shown in Figure 3; that ishwith lthe inlet 38 in communication with the passage 39. The container is shown'as descending and ready to move the valve to shut olf communication between the inlet 38 and the passage 39. This is accomplished by means of a stop pin 49 mounted on the wall of the casing in the path of the arm 45 of the star wheel 44 and `adapted to rotate the star wheel through substantially-one eighth of a turn to the dotted position sho` i in Figure 4 as the container reaches the lower limit of its movement. This dotted position ofthe star wheel and valve is shown in full lines in Figure 5 wherein the inlet 38 is cut ofi' from communication with both of the passages 39 and 40 and the valve remains in this position during the up stroke of the container.

It is turned to open communication between the inlet 38 and the passage 40 at the upper limit of the movement of the container by a stop pin 50 also mounted on the wall of the casing in the path cf the arm 46, which neXt down stroke ofthe container at'which e nication between the inlet 38'and the passage 40 as illustrated in Figure 6 and this communication is maintained during the time the next successive arm of the star wheel contacts with the stop pin 49 and again rotates the valve through an eighth ofa revolution shutting .off communicationv between the inlet 38 and the passage l0l and closing communication -between the inlet 38 and both of the passages during the next successive upstroke of the container at the end of which the star wheel is again rotated through one eighth of a turn again opening communication `between the inlet 38` and the passage 39 for the next successive down stroke. f

It should be understood that many other devices for controlling the valve and communicating passages could be devised to accomplish the results of causing an iniiow of the water through the bottom or other wall of theY container on the downl stroke ofthe container and alternating the direction of now on successive down strokes to cause the clothes and water to rotate in one direction upon one down stroke and in the opposite direction on the neXt successive down stroke.

I have found' thatthe lifting of the clothes by the central stream and the rotating of the clothes and water by the tangential streams operating in opposite directions on successive down strokes causes a satisfactory overturning and changing of the position ofthe clothes in the container and facilitates the rapid washing and cleansing thereof.

As many modifications of my invention Iwill readily suggest themselves to one skilled in the art I do not -limit or confine my invention to the specific structures herein shown; and described.

1. In a Washing machine of the kind described, a casing for watera clothes c'on-` tainer substantially fitting within the casing,

yand movable up and down therein, the container having perforated side walls through which the water` liowsout during the up stroke and having an opening in -its bottom' Y tainerand aflange at the lower edge of the container for engagingv the tub` t0\ guide the container in its up and down movements, the container having perforations lin its side walls, said flangev provided with openings through which the water can flow on the up stroke of the'container, valves for closing said openings on the down stroke of the container, the bottom of the container having valve controlled openings to permit the water to rise into the container on stroke, substantially as described.

3. In a washing machine of the kind de-` scribed, a tub, a clothes container movable up and down in the tub, the container being smaller in horizontal dimensions than the tub, means at-the upper edgey of. the ycontainer and a lflange at the lower edge of thescribed, a casing-adapted to contain'water,

ai clothes container movable up and down in the casing, the container being substantially circular-in horizontal cross section and the wall of the container provided with an opening through which the water enters on the down stroke, said opening adaptedy to direct the down i the water substantially tangentially to the wall of the container to cause the clothes and water to rotate in the container, substantially as described. A

`5. In a washing machine of the kind 4de- Jscribed, a casing adapted to` contain water,

a clothes container movable up and down in the casing, the wall of the lower .part of the container being provided with oppositely directed water inlet passages and means for alternating the flow ofwater throughsaid passages, substantially as described.

6. In auwashing machine of the kind described,a casing adapted to contain water, a clothes container movable up and down in the casing, the wall of the lower part of the container provided with two oppositely directed ywater inlet passages and. means for alternating the fiow of water through the passages on successive'down strokes to cause the clothes `and water in the container to alternately rotate in opposite directions, substantially as described.

7. In a washing machine of the kind described, a casing kadapted to contain water,

a clo'thes container movable up and down in the casing, the bottom of the container provided with two oppositely directed water inlet passages, valve means controlling said passages, and means for operating said [valve means foralternating the direction of ow of the water through .the passages on' successive down strokes, substantially 'as described.

8. In a Washing machine of the kind described, alcasing adapted to containiwater, a clothes'bontainer movable up anddown in the casing, the bottom of the container provided with two oppositely directed passages,

v a valve controlling said passages, and means for operating the valve to direct the water through one of the passages on one down stroke. and through the other passage on the successive down stroke, substantially as de-A scribed. y9. A .washing machine of scribed comprising a circular tub or .casing closed Iat its bottom, a circular basket 0r container adapted to be reciprocated up and v down in .the tubv in the lower part thereof,

rods rigid with the container projecting up through ythe top of the casing for recipro- K i cating the container, means engaging the upper ends of the ,rods for moving 'the cont'a1nerup anddown, the container being smaller in diameter thanw the tub is to provide a chamber, around 4they container,

flanges atyrthe upper and lower edges'of the container for .engaging then'tub to guide the container, the container having perforations in Jits sidewalls opening into said chamber, the lower of said flangeshav-- ing openings to' permitthe waterto flow' downwas the container is raised, check valves yfor closing said openingsto prevent the water flowing up whenthe container descends, the container having a central open-l ing in its bottom to permit the water to rise into the container' as the container descends, substantially as described.

1,0. A washing machine of the `kind de:

' scribed comprising a circular tub or casing .diA

down in the tub inthe lowerv part thereof, rods rigid with the container projecting up .7. through ythe, top of the lcasingr for reciproclosed atits-bottom, a circular basket or container adapted to be reciprocated up and eating the container, means engaging the the kind de- ,the water to flow down as Athe container is raised, check valves for closing said openings to prevent the water flowing up when the container descends, the bottom of the container provided with oppositely directed openings for directing streams into the. c011- tainer to cause the water and clothes therein to rotate, and means for alternating the ilow of water lthrough the oppositly directed openings, substantially as described.

l1. ln a washing machine of the kind. de.

scribed, a clothes containeruadapted to be reciprocated up and'down in the lmachine and to vrise clear of the. water on the up stroke, the container provided with laterally extending passages in its lbottom through which the water flows on the down stroke for rotating the clothes in the container and means for directing'theilow of water into the container in opposite directions on al-v ternate down strokes, 'substantially as described.4 'i l 12. ln a washing machine of rthe kind described, a casing 'closed `at itsy bottom, a clothes container within the casing movable .up' and'down therein, `vertical rods rigid with the container and rising outof the tub for moving the container up and down, de-

pending links pivotally connected at their upper ends to the upper ends of said rods,

-a yoke 'rotatably mounted on the tub at its middle -portion'and having its ends pivotally.

connected to the lower ends of the links, and means for oscillating the yoke to move the container upand down, substantially as described. i f

Signed at Chicago, lllinois, this 14th day of April, 1920. J

wiLLiAM r.l meer. 

